Make the paper in the woods, an' float it a little
better than a hundred miles to Hudson Bay in barges, or scows. You
see, the Shamattawa runs into Hayes River, an' Hayes River empties into
the Bay just across a spit of land from Port Nelson. And the railway
from The Pas to Port Nelson is being pushed to completion. With the
paper on the Bay, I can ship by rail or boat to the market."

"And you want to locate the mill on the Hayes River?"

"No; the Hayes runs too flat. Either on the upper Shamattawa, or on
Gods River, which lies between the two, an' flows into the Shamattawa.
There's plenty of water in either one, an' I think both or 'em have got
fall enough. I want the mill where it will be easy to get the wood to
it, an' at the same time, where we'll have a good head of water--an'
it's got to be done quick. The options expire the first of August, an'
I've nosed around an' found out there's no chance to renew 'em on
decent terms. When you get the mill located, then you've got to slip
down the river an' find out what kind of scows we'll need, an' lay out
a road to the new Hudson Bay Railway that's headed for Port Nelson.
We'll haul in the material an' save time. An' when you've finished
that, you can make a survey of the pulpwood available outside our
present holdin's."

"Quite a job, take it all in all."

"Yes--an' takin' it all in all, it'll take quite a man to fill it,"
retorted McNabb brusquely. "The man that puts this through won't never
need to hunt another job, because this is only the beginnin' of the
pulpwood game for me----" The telephone on the desk rang, and after a
moment's conversation, McNabb arose and tossed the packet of papers
into Wentworth's lap. "I've got to step out for a matter of ten or
fifteen minutes," he said. "Here's the papers, an' a map of the
country. Look 'em over, an' if you care to tackle it, let me know when
I come back."

Alone in the office, Wentworth studied the map fully five minutes; then
he read over the option contract. Suddenly, he straightened in his
chair, and read the last clause of the contract carefully:

Be it further agreed that if the said John McNabb, or his authorized
representative, does not demand fulfillment of the terms of this
agreement, and accompany the said demand by tender of at least ten
percent of the purchase price named herein, on or before noon of the
first day of July, nineteen hundred and twenty-one, this agreement
shall automati